People enjoy some art during the Press-Enterprise 53rd Annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum on April 16.

John W. North High School's Julia Reynolds is presented with the PE Sponsorship award for "Beauty of Wisdom" from Publisher Rich Mirman during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum on April 16.

Drew Oberjuerge presents John W. North High School's Sophia Gobel with the RAM Sponsorship award for "The Man Within" during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

Drew Oberjuerge presents John W. North High School's Sophia Gobel with the RAM Sponsorship award for "The Man Within" during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

The Fritts Ford display during thePress-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, April 16.

Fritts Ford had a display during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

Hundreds attend the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum on April 16.

Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey speaks during the 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, April 16.

Luis Garcia receives the Howard H Hays Sr. Best in Show award for “Rage and Responsibility” from Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey.

Patriot High School's Layne Harris is presented with the first place drawing award for "Natural Habitat" from The Press Enterprise's Mark Acosta during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

First place drawing winner Layne Harris, studies the drawing by Jace Ortega, "Simple Man," during the Press-Enterprise 53rd Annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

Students study the first place drawing, "Natural Habitat" by Patriot High School's Layne Harris during the Press-Enterprise 53rd Annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, April 16.

A boy studies one of the art pieces from the show.

Student art, submitted for the Press-Enterprise 53rd Annual Riverside County High School Art Show, is on display at the Riverside Art Museum until May 3.

John W. North High School's Julia Reynolds is presented with the PE Sponsorship award for "Beauty of Wisdom" from Publisher Rich Mirman during the Press-Enterprise 53rd annual Riverside County High School Art Show at the Riverside Art Museum on April 16.

The first time is a charm for Luis Garcia, 18, who took home the Howard H Hays Sr. Best in Show Best of Show at The Press-Enterprise 53rd Annual Riverside County High School Art Show.

It was Garcia’s first time entering the show, which this year featured students from 36 high schools who submitted 374 pieces.

“I’m very happy, very thankful – just for my parents, my friends and my teacher, of course,” Garcia said, looking a bit dazed after the awards were announced Thursday night on the roof of the Riverside Art Museum.

His teacher at La Sierra High School in Riverside, Mike Sheline, let out a whoop of joy when it was announced that Garcia won.

Garcia said he was inspired by warriors when making his piece, “Rage and Responsibility.” It depicts the head of a horned warrior perched atop a hunk of wood.

“I was thinking about all the bravery, all the pressure that’s put onto them,” Garcia said.

Every piece entered is on display at the Riverside Art Museum through May 3. Students submitted art in a variety of mediums, including ceramics, drawing, photography, graphic design and watercolor.

Rich Mirman,publisher of The Press-Enterprise and president and CEO of Freedom Communications, said at the awards ceremony that the artwork far exceeded his expectations.

“The work is so strong,” agreed Drew Oberjuerge, the museum’s executive director.

Oberjuerge said the purpose of the show is to highlight the best artwork from high school students throughout Riverside County. She said the show is also about sharing the students’ talent with the community and encouraging them to pursue careers in the arts.

Sixteen-year-old Catarina Trejos, who dreams of a career in the arts, said it is interesting to see what other people her age can produce. Trejos entered a painting that depicted a person with an old-fashioned radio for a head.

“I managed to find time,” said Trejos, a junior at San Jacinto High School. “I had a free weekend, actually. I didn’t have any homework or anything left over.”

Layne Harris, 17, a senior at Patriot High School in Riverside, plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in studio art following a stint at Riverside City College. He has been drawing for as long as he can remember.

Harris took home first place in the drawing category for his self-portrait, “Natural Habitat.” The drawing shows himself drawing a self-portrait.

Sixteen-year-old Allison Maggs, a Patriot High junior, entered a painting featuring a brightly-hued guitar. It was a class assignment.

“I’m not too proud of it but a lot of people like it,” she said.

This is the first time Maggs’ artwork has been displayed.

“It’s really, really awesome,” she said.

Garcia said his teacher encouraged him to enter the show. He decided to enter just to see what would happen. His favorite art medium is ceramics, something he’s been doing the past two years.

“The whole beauty of ceramics is you’re turning this piece of mud – it came from the ground, basically – and you’re turning it in to something that represents yourself and other things,” he said.

Garcia, a senior, hopes to study ceramics in college.

“If I could do it as a profession, that would be awesome. That’s like my dream,” he said.

Erin Waldner followed her father into print journalism. She started working for newspapers in 1995 and has handled a wide spectrum of reporting assignments, including education, oil and energy, home and garden, religion, entertainment, local government and courts. Currently, she is the Community Coordinator at The Press-Enterprise. She double majored in journalism and history in college, and has lived in California her whole life.

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